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Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives US senator John McCain in Hanoi on May 27, 2015. Photo credit: Vietnam News Agency

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to strengthening ties with the US for the long-term interest of both the two countries’ peoples, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Trong made the statement while receiving a delegation of US senators led by John McCain, an Arizona Republican and former Vietnam prisoner of war, in Hanoi on Wednesday.

The Party chief said he was pleased with positive developments in the two countries’ multi-faceted cooperation and that Vietnam will continue to pursue an external policy of independence, cooperation and development with a view to creating favorable conditions for its national construction and defense.

He acknowledged the US cooperation in addressing war consequences in Vietnam and asking the US Congress, government and Senator McCain himself to do more in this field.

He reiterated Vietnam’s firm stance of safeguarding national sovereignty and integrity, first and foremost by peaceful measures in line with the United Nations Charter and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and striving for a Code of Conduct on the East Sea.

Vietnam protests all acts that ignore international law, break the status quo and threaten peace, security and stability in the region, he affirmed.

Senator McCain highlighted the progress made in the relations between the two countries, especially since they set up the comprehensive partnership in 2013, reiterating that the US wishes to further promote the multi-faceted cooperative ties with Vietnam.

The senator and the US delegates said they look forward to the Vietnamese Party chief’s visit to the US and pledged to do their best for the historic visit to reap the best outcomes.

The US guests also expressed special attention to the issue of security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the region in general and recent developments in the East Sea in particular.

They affirmed that the US continuously supports settling disputes via peaceful diplomatic measures on the basis of respect for international law, the 1982 United Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).